TWENTY20 CUP NORTH DIVISION, Trent Bridge:
Nottinghamshire 124-1 beat Leicestershire 123-7 by nine wickets. (Nottinghamshire 2pts)

Ali Brown, 39, rolled back the years with his typically hard-hitting 72

Ali Brown smashed a spectacular 72 as Nottinghamshire cruised to a nine-wicket local derby victory over Leicestershire at Trent Bridge.

Chasing a meagre 123-7, Brown took just 48 balls over his knock only to perish on the long-on boundary when he tried to finish the game with a six.

Matt Wood was unbeaten on 43 as Notts won on 124-1 with 33 balls to spare.

Leicestershire looked set for a decent total when they put on 59 for the first wicket, but they then folded badly.

England seamer Ryan Sidebottom equalled his best bowling figures in Twenty20 cricket.

The 31-year-old showed all his international pedigree as he warmed up for the Ashes with 3-16.

Notts openers Brown, with a second consecutive Twenty20 half-century, and Wood then hit a new county record 119 for the first wicket as the hosts raced to victory in the 15th over.

That kept Notts' slim hopes of qualifying for the last eight of the Twenty20 alive.

But the beaten 2006 finalists must now win their last two games, both at home, against their other East Midland rivals Derbyshire on Friday night (1730 BST) and North Division leaders Lancashire on Sunday (1730 BST) to stand any chance.

BBC Sport's Owen Phillips offers his Trent Bridge verdict:

"Ali Brown rightly takes most of the plaudits for a majestic, destructive innings that saw Notts romp to victory with the minimum of fuss. But the damage was done in the Leicestershire innings.

"Having put on 59 for the first wicket, Tim Boon's men looked well set for a decent total but they were halted by some wonderful bowling from the home side with Ryan Sidebottom and the much-maligned Samit Patel, the chief tormentors in a hugely impressive team effort.

"Sidebottom's four overs went for just 16 runs - including a six from the final ball - and he bowled with aggression, typical precision and good pace.

"Patel also weighed in with a couple of wickets as Leicestershire crumbled under the pressure.

"Brown then played with even more freedom than he would normally, knowing he could smash the ball to all parts with little fear of being the fall-guy should he fail.

"He didn't, and ably supported by Matthew Wood, eased the Outlaws home with plenty left in the tank.

"Notts are still two points behind the Foxes but if they repeat that sort of form, they could well sneak into the second qualification spot in the North Division."

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